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Mediterrania Capital Invests in Tunisia-based Société Meunière Tunisienne (MENA)
North Africa-focused private equity firm Mediterrania Capital Partners has acquired a 23 percent stake in Tunisia-based wheat collection, transformation and distribution company Société Meunière Tunisienne (SMT), which sells pasta under the Randa brand name. The transaction was structured through Mediterrania Capital II. SMT intends to use the capital to consolidate the Randa brand in Tunisia and accelerate its international expansion.… Read More
IDG Ventures India, 500 Startups and advantEdge Partners Lead a Funding Round (Asia)
Venture capital firms IDG Ventures India, 500 Startups and advantEdge Partners have led a round of funding for India-based Tripoto Travel, which owns and operates a travel itinerary portal. Individual investors Neeraj Arora, vice president of mobile messaging application WhatsApp, and Leon Seynave, chairman of global investment office Stanhope Capital, also participated in the round. The company intends to use… Read More
Everstone Acquires a 51 Percent Stake in India-based SJS Enterprises (Asia)
India- and Southeast Asia-focused private equity and real estate investment firm The Everstone Group has acquired a 51 percent stake in India-based industrial graphics manufacture SJS Enterprises for an estimated INR3.5 billion (approximately US$54 million). Everstone purchased a 26 percent stake in the company from United States-based printing company Serigraph, and purchased the remaining 25 percent stake from SJS’s management.… Read More
IDG Ventures India and 500 Startups Participate in a Series A Round for Tripoto Travel (Asia)
India-focused venture capital firm IDG Ventures India, venture capital firm 500 Startups and India-focused early-stage investor advantEdge Partners have led a Series A financing round for India-based Tripoto Travel, operator of a travel itinerary website. Angel investors Neeraj Arora and Leon Seynave also participated in the round. The company plans to use the funds to improve the website’s content by… Read More
KKR, Alibaba and Ping An Group to Invest US$300 Million in China-based 58 Daojila (Asia)
Global investment firm KKR, China-based e-commerce company Alibaba and China-based insurance company Ping An Group have agreed to invest US$300 million in China-based online marketplace 58 Daojia (“58 Home”), a subsidiary of 58.com, in a Series A funding round. The company will use the capital to enhance its platform with new investments in marketing, research and development, and other operating… Read More
Actis Sells Its Remaining Stake in Phoenix Lamps to Suprajit Engineering (Asia)
Pan-emerging markets private equity firm Actis has sold its remaining stake in India-listed automotive lighting company Phoenix Lamps to auto component manufacturer Suprajit Engineering via an off market sale for INR271.2 million (approximately US$4.2 million). Actis sold its 10.88 percent stake at a share price of INR89 (approximately US$1.40). Read More
Northstar Group’s Venture Arm NSI Ventures Raises US$80 Million for Its Debut Fund (Asia)
Southeast Asia-focused early-stage technology investor NSI Ventures, the venture arm of Southeast Asia-focused private equity fund manager Northstar Group, has closed its debut fund with more than US$80 million in capital commitments. NSI Ventures invests in startups in the areas of consumer applications, fintech, cloud software and smart hardware. Northstar Group was an anchor investor in the fund. Read More
Golden Gate Ventures Invests in Singapore-based Companies HipVan and MoneySmart (Asia)
Southeast Asia-focused early-stage venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures has led a SGD4.7 million (approximately US$3.3 million) Series A round for Singapore-based HipVan, an online store for designer furniture. Other investors in the round included early-stage venture capital firm East Ventures, family office LionRock Global and several individual investors. Separately, Golden Gate Ventures has participated in a SGD2.8 million (approximately… Read More
NBK Capital Partners Exits Turkey-based Kiliç Deniz (CEE and CIS)
NBK Capital Partners, a private equity and mezzanine fund manager focused on the Middle East and North Africa region, has sold its stake in Turkey-based Kiliç Deniz, an aquaculture company that specializes in sea water and fresh water fish production. The transaction was structured through NBK Capital Equity Partners Fund I. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. Read More
FountainVest Partners-backed IMAX China Completes an HKD1.92 Billion IPO (Asia)
IMAX China, a China-based subsidiary of entertainment technology company IMAX Corporation, has raised HKD1.92 billion (approximately US$248 million) in an initial public offering (IPO) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The company sold 62 million shares at a price of HKD31 (approximately US$4) apiece. China-focused private equity firm FountainVest Partners sold 11 million shares, returning HKD342 million (approximately US$44 million).… Read More
Ascent Capital Africa Raises KES8 Billion for Ascent Rift Valley Fund (Sub-Saharan Africa)
East Africa-focused private equity firm Ascent Capital Africa has reached a final close for Ascent Rift Valley Fund with more than KES8 billion (approximately US$76 million) in capital commitments, exceeding the initial target of KES6 billion (approximately US$57 million). The fund invests in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia. Local pension funds Kenya Power Pension Fund and Nation Media Group Pension Fund… Read More
Amethis Finance, DEG, Swedfund and FMO Provide a Loan to Ecobank Nigeria (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Amethis Finance, a fund manager that provides debt and equity financing to companies in Africa, and development finance institutions DEG, Swedfund and FMO have provided a US$75 million syndicated subordinated term loan to commercial bank Ecobank Nigeria. Amethis invested US$15 million, while DEG and Swedfund invested US$20 million and US$10 million, respectively. FMO, which arranged the loan, invested US$30 million.… Read More